Axle module for a vehicle

Abstract

An axle module ( 2 ) for a vehicle having an electrical on-board circuit ( 1 ), an electrical on-board circuit voltage and at least one electrically driven actuator ( 7 ). The axle module has a step-up converter ( 10 ) and a control device ( 11 ) to convert the on-board circuit voltage into an axle voltage, that is higher than the on-board circuit voltage.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . An axle module for a vehicle having at least one electrical actuator ( 7 ) and at least one sensor being installed in the axle module ( 2 ) and the vehicle ( 14 ) has an electrical on-board circuit ( 1 ), which includes an on-board power circuit and a first communication bus, and an electrical component being installed in the axle module ( 2 ) which reduces a number of plug-in connections ( 9 ) between the axle module ( 2 ) and the electrical on-board circuit ( 1 ). 
   
   
       11 . The axle module according to  claim 10 , wherein the electrical component comprises a control device ( 11 ) which at least one of receives bus-signals from the first communication bus and transforms the bus-signals into signals for the electrical actuator ( 7 ) and receives sensor signals from axle-installed sensors and transforms the signals from axle-installed sensors into the bus-signals for the first communication bus. 
   
   
       12 . The axle module according to  claim 10 , wherein a second communication bus is installed in the axle module and the control device ( 11 ) is a gateway between the first communication bus and the second communication bus. 
   
   
       13 . The axle module according to  claim 10 , wherein a single device is installed on the axle module for maintaining on-board circuit demands ( 3 ). 
   
   
       14 . The axle module according to  claim 13 , wherein the device for maintaining the on-board circuit demands ( 3 ) comprises at least one of a capacitor, a super-capacitor, an inductor and an electrical energy storage device. 
   
   
       15 . The axle module according to  claim 13 , wherein the device for maintaining the on-board circuit demands ( 3 ) is positioned inside an axle support frame ( 8 ). 
   
   
       16 . The axle module according to  claim 10 , further comprising a control device ( 11 ) for at least one of active electronic control and active adjustment to maintain on-board power demands. 
   
   
       17 . The axle module according to  claim 10 , wherein one of a step-up converter and a step-down converter ( 10 ) is installed in the axle module ( 2 ) for converting an on-board circuit voltage into an axle voltage. 
   
   
       18 . The axle module according to  claim 17 , wherein the one of the step-up converter and the step-down converter ( 10 ) is integrated in the control device ( 10 ) which is positioned at the axle. 
   
   
       19 . A axle module for simplifying coupling to an electrical system of a vehicle including a power circuit and a first communication bus, the axle module being located on an axle of the vehicle and comprising;
 a plurality of actuators and sensors for controlling at least one assembly of a suspension system of the vehicle;   a second communication bus connected to the plurality of actuators and sensors for transmitting actuation signals to the actuators and receiving sensor signals from the sensors;   a control device being connected to the first communication bus and the second communication bus for collecting, converting and sending the activation signals and the sensor signals between the electrical system and the axle module;   an electrical unit for supporting the electrical system by supplying at least a portion of electrical energy to axle module;   at least one of a step-up converter and a step-down converter for converting the electrical energy passed between the electrical system and the axle module; and   a plug-in connector for coupling the axle module with the electrical system.